Automated oxygen hose reel

Abstract

An oxygen hose reel assembly having improved safety and usability features. The oxygen hose reel assembly can include automated mechanical and/or electrical systems for dispensing or recoiling oxygen tubing. The oxygen hose reel assembly can incorporate a lightweight, integral design such that the oxygen hose reel assembly is readily adapted for use in a variety of locations and can be portable between differing locations. The oxygen hose reel assembly can include control means providing a patient the ability to operate the oxygen hose reel assembly remotely. The oxygen hose reel assembly can further include a hose mechanism for accommodating hose related stresses such that these stresses are not translated to the patient.

1 . A portable oxygen hose reel comprising: 
 a housing enclosing a reel assembly, a drive assembly and a control assembly, the reel assembly including a wrapped length of the tubing, the drive assembly having a motor rotatably operably connected to the reel assembly, the control assembly having a control board, a controller and a battery pack, and    wherein the control board operably directs the motor to turn the reel assembly to selectively retrieve the tubing.    
   
   
       2 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a bracket assembly adapted for attachment to a wheelchair, a bed, an oxygen tank, an oxygen concentrator and a wearable strap.  
   
   
       3 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is a rechargeable battery pack.  
   
   
       4 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the control board operably directs the motor to dispense tubing based upon an automatically sensed force on the tubing, the automatically sensed force being sensed by at least one limit switch in the control assembly that is operably connected to the control board.  
   
   
       5 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the control board operably prevents the motor from recoiling tubing based upon an automatically sensed force on the tubing, the automatically sensed force being sensed by at least one limit switch in the control assembly that is operably connected to the control board.  
   
   
       6 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the reel assembly includes a removable hose reel.  
   
   
       7 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 1 , wherein the control assembly includes a wireless receiver operably connected to the control board and the controller comprises a wireless transmitter, the controller having one or more input interfaces wherein a wireless signal is communicated to the control board for operably controlling the drive assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless signal is selected from a wireless protocol selected form the group consisting of: Radio Frequency, Bluetooth and Infrared.  
   
   
       9 . A method for dispensing and retracting a length of oxygen tubing comprising: 
 providing a control assembly having a control board and a controller, wherein the control board is operably connected to a drive assembly; and    directing a motor in the drive assembly to selectively, rotatably drive a hose reel assembly, wherein a length of oxygen tubing is selectively dispensed or retraced from the hose reel assembly.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 sensing a force on the length of oxygen tubing with a sensor in the control assembly, the sensor communicating the force to the control board.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 dispensing an additional amount of oxygen tubing based upon the sensed forced, said dispensing occurring without an input to the controller.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 preventing the recoil of any oxygen tubing based upon the sensed force.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 interfacing with the controller to provide an input to the control board for selectively controlling the drive assembly.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein providing the input to the control board includes wirelessly transmitting the input from a transmitter in the controller to a receiver in the control assembly, the receiver being operably connected to the control board.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 enclosing the control assembly, the drive assembly and the hose reel assembly in a portable housing.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 mounting the portable housing at a point of use with a bracket assembly on the portable housing, the bracket assembly adapter for attachment to points of use selected from the group consisting of: 
 a wheelchair, a bed, an oxygen tank, an oxygen concentrator and a wearable strap.  
   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 recharging a battery in the control assembly.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 inspecting the length of oxygen tubing for defects in the oxygen tubing, whereupon the hose reel assembly can be replaced with a second hose reel assembly upon discovery of defects.    
   
   
       19 . A portable oxygen hose reel comprising: 
 a housing enclosing a reel assembly, a drive assembly and a control assembly, the reel assembly including a wrapped length of the tubing, the drive assembly having a motor rotatably operably connected to the reel assembly, the control assembly having a control board, a controller, a battery pack and a means for sensing tubing forces, the control board being operably connected to the motor, and wherein the means for sensing tubing forces continually senses forces on the tubing and wherein the means for sensing forces communicates with the control board to selectively direct the motor to dispense or prevent retraction of the tubing based on the sensed forces.    
   
   
       20 . The portable oxygen hose reel of  claim 19 , wherein the means for sensing tubing forces comprises a pair of limit switches in the control assembly defining an operational plane wherein the tubing resides, and wherein contact between the tubing and either of the limit switches initiates communication with the control board.